Repacking wheel bearings

[Dennis and Carol]

Not sure if this is the correct place for this post, if not, will someone please move it.

Anyway, what are are you all paying to have your wheel bearings repacked. In preparation for our great adventure (full timing) I started checking the cost to have our bearings repacked. I contacted 2 RV dealers and their cost was $200. Contacted my Montana dealer. The young lady I talked with wanted to know the make of my unit which I told her was a Montana. She needed to check with the service manager and came back with a price of $290. I then checked with a large tire dealer in our area, Les Schwab Tires and their price was $140. Seems to be a great difference. I would worry about Les Schwab, but they guarantee everything they do and stand behind it. Really need to save a buck if I can.

Dennis

[lightningjack11]

Seems high but I usually do my own. I take advantage of the easylube feature and replace the greese that way. A lot of MOC members have problems with replacing the greese this way because the rear seal may go bad and get greese all over the brake linings so I am not recommending this method. But being dumb I still do it.

So probably your best bet is have the Montana dealer do it if you don't want to try it yourself. Make sure they replace the rear seals when they take the wheel off.

[Dennis and Carol]

Tom, like you I have always used the easy-lube feature and have not ever repacked the bearings. I have never had a problem with the seals leaking, I use a hand pump grease gun and try to not force the grease in to any extent. All of them were to replace the seals.

[HamRad]

Dennis and Carol,
I repack mine once a year. I also use the grease zerk a couple of times a year. As you indicated the trick is to NOT force the grease out of the seals and onto the brakes.

Dennis, I don't know what your hesitation is with Les Schwab but I'd use them in a heartbeat! Last year when we blew our trailer tire I used them and was really impressed. Of course tires are not the same as bearings! But what impressed me was the speed, knowledge, price and friendliness. Since their price is so much better I think I'd try them unless you know for sure they are not any good.

HamRad

[sreigle]

I also use the easylube and have never repacked them myself although I used to on cars and trucks. I've discovered my dealer is correct, no more than two squirts of grease per year is all you need. And that is even during our fulltiming. Last summer I had the dealer check our brakes and he told me I was over greasing it. I had done maybe four squirts in a year. In case you're wondering how long the brake linings last, about half the brake linings were still there after about 15k to 20k miles. I had the brake controller set too agressively and had severely worn the magnets and had caused heat stress cracks in the linings. So he replaced all four brake shoes, magnets, and turned the drums. He also repacked the inner and outer bearings as part of the procedure. Total cost was about $300.

That said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with repacking the wheel bearings peridocally, in my opinion. It's good insurance. But based on what we've found I think I'll just have the brakes checked every other year and make sure they repack the wheel bearings as part of the procedure. In the off-years I'll shoot a couple of squirts of grease in the easylube zerks.

[Montana_2785]

I prefer to periodically re-pack. It lets me inspect the condition of bearings & brakes. One year I came home through some highish water right after a bad rain storm. The next year one wheel had rust in the bearings. I was happy to find it at home instead of on the road I'm not sure I'll use the zerks at all.

Eric.

[ken]

We repacked the 2003 Montana bearings every year when we went to Florida. I used Camping World(Orlando) each time and was satisfied (a lot less than 200.00). I too pumped in grease the first time and was told I blew a seal. Camping World replaced it and cleaned up the brakes. Two slow pumps on the grease gun would sufice between packing the berrings. I plan on continuing to follow the same packing policy on our new 2005 Montana. It's better to be safe than sorry.
Ken and Velda Taylor
Dahlgren VA
2005 3475RL Montana/Ford F350 Diesel

[Chester]

Ken, I noticed you folks have taken delivery of a 3475. Glenda and I have orderedd one and expect to receive end of Feb. How do you like yours?? Are there any issues you've run across that we should look for? Feel free to PM me on this since it is out of topic in this post.

Thanks...

[party of 5]

I agree with HamRad about Les Schwabb. I have used them several times and have never had a problem with their, tires, service or warranty. The have reasonable prices and do fast quality work. $40 to have some do the work sounds like a good price to me.

[VanMan]

My wife won't let me repack anything anymore - not since we lost a wheel on our previous TT due to cheap labor (me)not getting the inner bearings seated completely. It was my first (and last) time - I decided to replace the bearings and wound up replacing the wheel lug studs, rim, and tire + it was on an interstate (miles from the nearest town) on a Sunday afternoon (when almost everything's closed) on the way back from a great trip (up until then)!!